Physical Education and Health: Rhythmic Activities

1
Basic Concepts of Dance

Basic Concepts of Dance

Dance is considered the mother of all arts. To be educated in dance is to be
knowledgeable about its historical and cultural background, classification
and its functions.
Dances reveal the culture of the human being, its mores and traditions. It is
through dances that one can show his or her love for his or her country and
dances can be means to a worthwhile recreation. They also set the mood to
light up one’s life and soul.
Dance may range from social pastime to theatrical performances or from
religion rites to fitness-related activities. It also appeals to all social classes
and widely ranging levels of artistic taste. Dance has become an important
part of our cultural, recreational and educational experiences.
At the end of the module, the student is expected to:
1. Define dance
2. Understand the values and meaning of dancing
3. Identify the different functions of dance

Values of Dancing
Dancing is entertainment. It gives fun to both the performer and the
spectator in terms of feelings while performing and watching respectively.
Dancing is worldwide yet world dances differ. Human dancing is as old as the
first man who expressed his feelings of joy and fear by rhythmically repeated
steps or gestures.
Dancing probably began as a rhythmic expression of happiness but
eventually, it was rapidly put to “practical use.” The movements depended on
the natural environment where man lives.
All dances have their unique arms and step movement although some of
them have similar steps but still they are being identified according to origin
and country.
Dancing as a form of recreation and entertainment has evolved so well in the
last century that it now has its rightful place in modern society. Dance
movements have evolved with the creation of new rhythms and new music in
the past years. Dances are vehicles of information and expression,
historically, religiously, culturally or otherwise.

Meaning of Dance
There are different ways of viewing dance. Dance is a movement set to music
where there emerges organization, structure and pattern. It can be in terms

Course Module
of the origin of the word or through historical examinations of how dance
was viewed in earlier societies.
The word dance is related to the French word “danse” which is believed to
have been derived from the ancient high German word, “damson” meaning to
stretch or to drag. It is also related European variants that are based on the
root combination of letters TAN meaning “tension or stretching.” All dances
are made up of muscle stretches and relaxes. But dance cannot be merely
stretches and relaxes, rather it should be something organized. “Dance” is a
way of expressing one’s emotions through movement disciplined by rhythms.
According to Richard Krauss, dance is an art performed by individuals or
groups of human beings existing in time, space, force and flow, in which the
human body is the instrument and movement is the medium.
Dance is commonly performed with music or other accompaniment and has a
primary purpose of expressing the inner feelings and emotions although it is
often performed for social, ritual, entertainment or other purposes.
Dance is also a "powerful impulse" that compels its audience to feel
enjoyment and satisfaction and the participants to be as expressive as
possible in moving along to rhythm.
Aristotle has identified dance as a rhythmic movement that aims to
"represent men's characters as well as what they do and suffer. This refers to
the events during their time, as used in their theatre performances.
However, a ballet dancer called John Weaver, countered the previous
definition, saying that dancing is an elegant and regular movement, that has a
harmonious mix of beautiful attitude, graceful posture, and other parts of the
body. This definition of dance is mostly attributed to the delicate and graceful
movements in ballet, which is mostly formal and severely lacks in forceful
emotions.
Basic Motives of Dance
We dance mainly for self-expression and for physical release. Dance is
commonly done to communicate emotions and feelings to the audience using
movements. Animals also employ this technique in expressing their intense
feelings of happiness, impatience, and anger. This motive is also clearly seen
in folk or tribal dances. Dancing does not only evoke emotions in us, but also
releases these emotions.
People dance to experience the body and their surrounding environment in a
new way. We stretch and use our body in extreme ways during a dance. Legs
are flung around, the arms are stretched to the limit, and the head is twisted
to an angle. Special efforts and styles are also incorporated in dances
including high kicks and leaps, while following a particular rhythm.
A dancer becomes aware of the force of gravity and their state of equilibrium
that is not felt or known in regular activities.
Dance creates an entirely new world for a dancer wherein they could expand
their effort, prowess and endurance to a limit that they set themselves.
 Physical Education and Health: Rhythmic Activities
3
Basic Concepts of Dance

Functions of Dance
The following are the different functions of dance according to StudyBlue
(source: https://www.studyblue.com/notes/note/n/10-functions-of-
dance/deck/15548390)
1. Emotional expression – people dance to convey or express their
innermost emotions through movement.
2. Aesthetic enjoyment – dance is used to portray aesthetics or to emphasize
beautiful elements.
3. Entertainment – dance is meant to engage and capture the interest of an
audience.
4. Communication – dance can be used to send a message, idea, or a story
through movement.
5. Symbolic representation – dance can also be used to interpret things
greater than the person himself.
6. Physical response – dancing can be a form of response to stimuli such as
music.
7. Enforcement to Conformity to Social Norms.
8. Validation of Social Institutions and Religious Rituals – dance are valid
proofs of the culture of various social institutions and religious rituals.
9. Contribution to Continuity and Stability of Culture – dance, as a part of
culture, can be used to contribute to its preservation as it can be passed
from generation to generation.
10. Contribution to the Integration of Society – dances can also contribute to
the formation of a society as it can be a solid part of culture.

References:
Functions of Dance. Retrieved from:
https://www.studyblue.com/notes/note/n/10-functions-of-
dance/deck/15548390 on April 14, 2017
The aesthetics of dance. Retrieved from:
https://www.britannica.com/art/dance/The-aesthetics-of-dance on
April 14, 2017
10 Functions of Dance. Retrieved from:
https://www.studyblue.com/notes/note/n/10-functions-of-
dance/deck/15548390 on April 14, 2017
Videos
The Role of Dance in Society. Retrieved from:
http://bigthink.com/videos/the-role-of-dance-in-society on April 14,
2017
What is Dance? Retrieved from: https://vimeo.com/111573554 on April 14,
2017

Course Module
What is dance. Retrieved from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCFLAiPLhlk on April 14, 2017